The price of ginger in Commonwealth Market has doubled, from P120/kilo last month to P240/kilo right now. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- The price of ginger is up in several markets in Metro Manila.

According to the Department of Agriculture, this is due to seasonal production and tight supply.

In Commonwealth Market, ginger is being sold at retail price of P240 per kilo. In other markets, it's being sold to as high as P280/kilo.

This is a stark contrast with the usual P100 to 120/kilo retail price of ginger. 

Consumers and retailers in markets are surprised with the spike of the price of ginger.

The Department of Agriculture said production of ginger is seasonal, and harvest usually happens during summer.

"Yung mga na harvest noong March-April, nasa mga palengke na ngayon. Tumaas ang presyo dahil nasa stage na rin ng tag-ulan," said Usec. Ching Caballero, Undersecretary for High Value Crops of the Department of Agriculture.

(The ginger harvested in March and April are now in the markets. The prices are rising because we are now in the rainy season.) 

The DA also said that aside from household uses, demand from companies and processors are also high. 

"Dito naman sa Department of Agriculture, ginagawan namin ng mechanism yan para hindi masyado tumaas. Ang kagandahan naman sa luya, pwede yan itanim kahit sa maliit na paso," Caballero added.

(Here at the Department of Agriculture, we have a mechanism to prevent the prices from rising. The good thing is ginger can be planted even in small pots.) 

The agency said it is not expecting the price of ginger to go up any further.